Saudi Space Agency, NASA Hold 'Beyond Earth: Journeys to the Stars' Dialogue

Saudi Space Agency, NASA Hold 'Beyond Earth: Journeys to the Stars' Dialogue
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Saudi Space Agency, NASA Hold 'Beyond Earth: Journeys to the Stars' Dialogue

Saudi Space Agency, NASA Hold 'Beyond Earth: Journeys to the Stars' Dialogue

Prince Sultan University in Riyadh hosted a joint delegation from the Saudi Space Agency (SSA) and its US counterpart, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

The event was attended by the SSA CEO Dr. Mohammed bin Saud Al-Tamimi, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, US Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Michael Ratney, and Saudi Astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi, Ali Al-Ghamdi, and Mariam Fardous.
The event aimed to discuss ways to enhance cooperation in the fields of science, research, development, and innovation as part of the SSA's ongoing efforts to develop national capabilities and competencies.

The agency aims to adopt scientific methods and modern technologies and harness all of these to develop the Saudi space sector, according to SPA.
The Saudi agency hosted a dialogue session titled "Beyond Earth: Journeys to the Stars" featuring a distinguished panel. The event included NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, alongside Saudi astronauts Rayana Barnawi, Maryam Firdaus, and Ali Al-Ghamdi. The discussion addressed several key topics, including articles on the Saudi space program, NASA's vision for the future, the challenges and opportunities presented by space exploration, and the role of pioneers in inspiring future generations to pursue careers in the vast field of space exploration.



‘Less Snow’: Warm January Weather Breaks Records in Moscow

A woman walks with a stroller near a pond during warm weather in Moscow, Russia, 28 January 2025. (EPA)
A woman walks with a stroller near a pond during warm weather in Moscow, Russia, 28 January 2025. (EPA)
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‘Less Snow’: Warm January Weather Breaks Records in Moscow

A woman walks with a stroller near a pond during warm weather in Moscow, Russia, 28 January 2025. (EPA)
A woman walks with a stroller near a pond during warm weather in Moscow, Russia, 28 January 2025. (EPA)

January 2025 is on track to be one of the warmest in Moscow on record, meteorologists reported on Wednesday, with two of the past days breaking all-time daily temperature highs.

Thermometer readings on Wednesday have not dipped below an "April-like" 3.8 degrees Celsius (38.8 Fahrenheit), much higher than the historical average below freezing, according to Russia's Phobos weather center.

Residents in the capital told AFP there was less snow for children to play with, and that there was "mud everywhere", making dog walks more challenging.

Experts warn more temperature records will be broken in the future as human-driven climate change disrupts global weather patterns.

"Of course, we don't like winter like this... Everything should be in moderation," 68-year-old pensioner Galina Kazakova told AFP in central Moscow.

"It is very bad for nature, because the snow should lie on the fields, so that it melts, so that everything grows well," she added.

Monday and Tuesday were the warmest of those dates since records started, while Wednesday is also set to beat its historical high, Russia's RBK news outlet reported, citing meteorologists.

"January, which is approaching a heat record, continues to surprise," meteorologist Mikhail Leus said on Telegram, posting a video of chanterelle mushrooms poking through patches of snow in the forest.

Central Russia's state meteorological service said Moscow was on track for its "second warmest January" since records began, beaten only by January 2020.

Russian state media reported January 2025 could be warmer than even that year.

Climatologist Alexey Karnaukhov was uncertain about whether this January would be the warmest.

"It's hard to say whether there will be a record. In 2020, there was no stable snow cover in Russia's midland either, and this year is not unique," Karnaukhov told AFP.

"We live in an era of global warming, warm years will become more and more frequent. Even if the current values turn out to be a record, it will definitely not be the last," he told AFP.

On the streets of the capital, residents expressed both joy and concern at the unseasonably warm weather.

"I like it all. It is very pleasant to walk," said 19-year-old student Olga Medvedeva.

"I like winter better the way it was," said Elena Aleksandrova, 73.

"We take the dog for walks, he likes to play in the snow too. Now where can you walk? There is mud everywhere."